Justice Prevails!
Wow, I never expected this blog to be so focused on negative news, but we’ve just had another week of dealing with some amazingly infantile adults. This time, however, justice prevailed!
Last Saturday, my son’s team faced a team that we already had concerns about going in. We’d had issues with them before, such as failure to play by club rules and overly aggressive play for a recreational league (full-armed shoves, slide tackling, etc.) We didn’t blame the kids – it was how they were taught. But we found it shameful in the coach. The parents were very aggressive too. We had complained last season, and hoped they might not be allowed to return. We knew other teams had had similar experiences with them. But here they were again.
Although our team is actually quite good, and we do encourage the kids to do their best and go for the win, all of our parents put a premium on playing with integrity and good sportsmanship. And, we just want to enjoy our Saturday morning!
Well, last Saturday was anything but a joy. It started with the parents on the other team saying very negative things about our team (they’re only 8 years old) and our coach (my husband) from the beginning. Then, when they disagreed with a call, they yelled at and tried to intimidate the young ref, who I later found out is only 12. It went downhill from there, with arguments erupting with almost every play, as they subbed players behind the ref’s back, tripped our players, and went into the box to defend, which is not allowed as we don’t yet play with goalies. The parents screamed hateful things and cursed at my husband – with a field full of 8 year olds in front of them! Can you believe it? It got so tense that play was stopped as several people argued and one of our parents started to call law enforcement. I was in shock, I couldn’t believe these adults were acting in such a way.
They were all standing right on the sideline, some even slightly on the field, yelling and screaming and for one moment there, when my son had to go in the middle of them to get a ball that had gone out of play, I thought, “My god, we’re all going to end up on the 6 o’clock news if someone touches him or another one of our kids. This cannot be happening.” Somehow we got through the game, but the kids were devastated as the other team “won” due to illegal plays on their part that did not get called by the poor ref.
Our parents had had enough. I’m not much of an activist, but when it comes to your kids, sometimes you have to take a stand on their behalf. We contacted the Club board of directors, and I and several of the team parents provided eyewitness accounts. We were starting to consider what we would do if the board did not take appropriate action.
Fortunately, they did. The team has been removed from the Club. Strangely enough, I was sad the day we got the news. Because those kids are going to miss out on the rest of the season. And it’s not their fault. They are skilled and seem to really love the game of soccer. But, they are being pulled down by the immaturity of the adults who are supposed to be leading them. Sadly, this is what they are learning, too. But now, there has been a negative consequence, and I can only hope and pray that they will learn from it. Until now, their bad behavior had only been rewarded. Now, the “win” they achieved last weekend has cost them dearly. That, as my husband told our team this week, is poetic justice.
Unbelievable! What is it about watching their kids compete that brings out the absolute worst in some parents? Maybe the culprit is, once again, low self-worth. The lack of it in those parents may drive them to such selfish, childish actions, as they themselves are sadly desperate to feel value through their progeny.
Tracey Fink Smith
May 16, 2009
Thanks, Tracey, for your comment and your support!
sportsmomz
May 18, 2009